A West Texas judge is entangled in a significant legal dispute, facing a federal civil rights lawsuit and an unprecedented campaign by his own district attorney to remove him from office. The controversy stems from allegations that Midland County Judge Terry Johnson publicly posted highly sensitive personal information belonging to a political critic on social media.
Allegations of Retaliation and Public Disclosure
The core of the issue involves Judge Johnson's alleged actions less than a day after Christino Rodriquez, who uses the online moniker "Nino America," published federal court records pertaining to Midland County. Rodriquez claims in a 26-page federal lawsuit that Johnson retaliated against him for his criticism of local government by using his official position to obtain and subsequently publish confidential details.
According to the lawsuit, Judge Johnson shared a 2015 arrest warrant on his personal Facebook profile, accompanied by the caption, "Convicted felon trying to be a player." The legal complaint asserts that the charges associated with this warrant were later dismissed, and Rodriquez was never convicted in the case.
The lawsuit further highlights the specific details that were—and were not—redacted from the document shared online. While Rodriquez’s home address and telephone number appeared to be blacked out, his Social Security number and driver’s license number remained clearly visible. This selective redaction, the lawsuit contends, supports the allegation that the disclosure was deliberate and intentional.
"The lawsuit is really about retaliation and abuse of power," stated Trainor, representing Rodriquez. "It’s kind of secondarily about First Amendment rights and the ability of people to actually criticize government without having government being used as a weapon against them."
Trainor emphasized that Rodriquez is an active member of the Midland community, regularly attending public events and voicing his opinions on local governance. "At the end of the day, he did that and he upset the county judge, and the county judge thought it was time to retaliate against him," Trainor asserted.
The attorney also stated that Johnson allegedly instructed an employee to access a criminal justice information system to obtain information about Rodriquez. The federal complaint alleges that Judge Johnson procured the unredacted warrant either through his own official access or by directing county personnel to do so.
Personal Impact and Legal Pursuit for Damages
The public disclosure of such personal information has caused significant distress for Rodriquez and his wife, who are now concerned about identity theft and the potential misuse of their data. "This is probably the highest form of doxxing that you could ever engage in by putting this type of personal information out there," Trainor remarked.
Trainor expressed uncertainty about the full extent of the damage, noting, "We don’t know how many pictures were taken, how many screenshots were saved, all of those types of things. So we really don’t have an overall understanding yet of how broad the damage is." His legal team has initiated discussions with the Social Security Administration regarding a potential change to Rodriquez’s Social Security number.
The lawsuit seeks both compensatory and punitive damages, along with other forms of relief, including lifetime identity-theft protection and credit monitoring for Rodriquez. A specific monetary amount has not yet been assigned to the case. "We’re still looking into how much it’s actually going to cost and talking to experts on what the overall negative effect on Nino’s life is going to be," Trainor explained.
Beyond the immediate case, Trainor highlighted a broader societal question regarding the implications when citizens openly critique those in positions of authority. He noted the importance of criminal justice information for law enforcement but stressed, "The only difference here is that my client wasn’t a bad guy. He was just somebody who decided to speak out about a local issue."
Effort to Remove Judge From Office
Concurrently with the federal lawsuit, a separate process to remove Judge Johnson from his judicial post is underway. Midland County District Attorney Glenn Harwood filed a petition on August 6, marking the initial step under Texas law for attempting to oust a county-level elected official.
Harwood clarified that this petition will be reviewed by the region’s administrative judge, who has the authority to either dismiss it or assign it to another judge. An independent prosecutor would then need to decide whether to proceed with the civil action.
Midland Independent School District Trustee Brandon Hodges has since moved to intervene in the removal proceedings. Hodges’ involvement aims to ensure the removal effort's continuity, particularly if a legal challenge arises concerning Harwood’s dual capacity as both the district attorney and the private resident who initiated the petition.
Hodges’ filing specifies that he is not seeking to replace Harwood or introduce new allegations against Judge Johnson. Instead, he requests to join as an independently qualified resident of Midland County, adopting the same grounds for removal originally presented by Harwood.
"Midland County deserves a real decision, not delay, excuses, or a quiet escape hatch for insiders," Hodges asserted. "I filed to help make sure that happens."
The 16-page filing from Hodges argues that Harwood occupies an unusual position by initiating the removal proceeding as a Midland County resident while simultaneously serving as district attorney and personally attesting to the factual allegations in his petition. Hodges' filing does not suggest any improper conduct by Harwood; rather, it frames the intervention as a safeguard to prevent any potential procedural dispute unique to Harwood’s role from derailing the overall removal process.
Steven Villela, a candidate for Midland County Commissioner Precinct 3, has also publicly echoed calls for Judge Johnson’s resignation via a Facebook post. "No elected official is above the law, and every public servant has a duty to protect the rights and confidential information of the people they serve," Villela wrote. He added, "Accountability isn’t about politics, it’s about doing what’s right."
District Attorney Harwood emphasized that his removal effort is distinct from Rodriquez’s federal lawsuit, stating he has "no role" in that particular case. Harwood also acknowledged the existence of what he termed a "potential criminal case" but declined further comment, citing that "nothing has happened on that front publicly yet."
Ongoing Investigations and Public Reaction
In the course of their investigation, Rodriquez's legal team has reportedly issued subpoenas to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, seeking confirmation of when and where the personal information was posted and potentially viewed. Trainor confirmed that inquiries were made to verify the authenticity of the information displayed online, including the Social Security and driver’s license numbers, belonged to Rodriquez.
The controversy has also sparked public demands for Judge Johnson to step down. During a Commissioners Court meeting, Midland County resident Shandi Williams publicly called for his resignation, as reported by the local newspaper. Judge Johnson was unsuccessful in his reelection campaign, failing to advance past the March 3 primary. His current term is scheduled to conclude in early 2027, when election winner Jay Marquez is slated to assume office, according to local reports.
